A vacant tract of land on busy U.S. 190 was annexed into the city of Covington by the City Council Tuesday night. The council voted 6-0 with one member absent to incorporate the approximately half-acre site near the southwest corner of U.S. 190 and Riverside Drive into the city.

Drs. Michael and Marcus Pittman, who were represented at the meeting by attorney Jeff Schoen, sought the annexation. The property was designated H-2 (highway commercial) under St. Tammany Parish zoning. As part of the city, it will have a zoning classification of CR -- or regional commercial.

Schoen told the council that the Pittmans are longtime Covington residents and property owners and sought to have the commercial property on the major thoroughfare brought into the city limits. He said the site would eventually become a productive business, noting that inquiries have been made from developers interested in the location for a restaurant.

The city's zoning commission had previously voted unanimously to recommend approval of the annexation to the council. The parish government had no objection to the annexation, Schoen said.

In other action, the council Tuesday night also voted on appointments to the Covington Planning and Zoning Commission and the Covington Board of Adjustments.

Teddy Boone was re-appointed to the planning and zoning commission for a five-year term. Retired principal Joe Fetter was also appointed to a five-year term on the commission, replacing Kirk Michel, who is stepping down. The seven-member Planning and Zoning Commission provides citizen review and recommendations on planning-related matters to the City Council.

The council also re-appointed Sam Fauntleroy to a five-year term on the Covington Board of Adjustments. Fauntleroy currently serves as chairman of the board, which consists of five members and hears appeals on the enforcement of the city's zoning ordinance.